The Best Treatment for Receding Gums

Gums going into hiding? If you notice your gum line on a retreat, and more and more of your teeth being exposed, it’s time to take action. Leaving your tooth roots bare puts them at a heightened risk of decay, and advanced gum recession can put your teeth in danger. Plus, you have to deal with the discomfort of sensitivity and the changing appearance of your smile. But what’s the solution when gum tissue has been lost?

There’s a new way to rebuild your gums, and it’s far simpler than a gum graft. The Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique allows your dentist to rebuild a receding gum line without the need for grafting or more significant downtime. Keep reading to learn more about whether this treatment might be right for you, as well as how to get gum recession under control.

The Role Healthy Gums Play in Your Smile

While gums don’t usually get the same amount of attention as our teeth, they play a crucial role in allowing our smiles to function properly. Healthy gums support teeth and help keep them firmly connected to the jaws. The soft tissues of the gums surround tooth roots, protecting them and keeping them safe from external stimuli that may cause sensitivity. But irritation or damage to the gums can cause them to pull away, with the gum line lowering and the tooth root becoming exposed. Gum tissue is delicate, and can’t withstand infection or excessive pressure.

Receding gums don’t necessarily mean that you have gum disease. But if you do notice it taking hold, it’s a good idea to check in with your dentist. Gum recession is often linked to periodontal disease, but even if you don’t have infected gums, there’s another issue taking hold. The sooner you intervene, the less recession will impact your smile.

Typical Reasons for Gum Recession

• Tooth position – Teeth are supposed to erupt in the center of their portion of the jaw bone, but they don’t always behave the way we’d like. If teeth erupt outside of the healthy area, the root may become exposed. Thin tissue or no gum tissue may be able to form around it. Orthodontic treatment can help move teeth into the desired positions, and then gum recession should cease.
• Genetic predisposition – Some individuals have thicker gum tissue from birth, and some have thinner gum tissue. The thickness or thinness is determined by genetics, and there’s nothing that can be done to change that. Thin tissue is more likely to erode, tear, and recede. The band of tissue that surrounds the teeth, the attached gingiva, is meant to resist abrasion; this can also be excessively thin. This makes it more difficult to stave off trauma and gum disease. Check with your family members on whether they’ve had issues with gum recession to get an idea of how your gums are likely to behave. If you have thin tissues and they recede, you can receive gum surgery to improve your gum line.
• Overeager oral hygiene – Brushing and flossing are necessary to build a healthy smile and remove plaque. But your daily cleaning needs to be performed gently to protect your gums. You should always use a soft bristle toothbrush and be gentle but thorough. If you’re overdoing your brushing, your gums can become inflamed and torn, and exposed tooth roots may erode.
• Teeth grinding – Long-term bruxing places harmful amounts of pressure on your teeth. This can lead to a collection of problems with your teeth, gums, and jaws, including gum recession. If you start using a mouth guard while you sleep, this will help you keep your gums safe and your gum line in the right place.
• Gum disease – When your gums become infected, the soft tissues suffer damage. The gums pull away from the teeth, losing their grip and receding. If you think you may have gingivitis or periodontal disease, contact us right away.

Gum Recession Treatment Options

Why treat receding gums? Because your mouth is at risk of additional health problems. Your teeth will be more sensitive to hot and cold with their roots exposed. The delicate tooth roots are also more prone to erosion and subsequent decay. The missing gum tissue also alters your smile and makes you seem prematurely aged. Teeth may also feel loose after severe periodontal disease and gum tissue loss.

Once, a gum graft was the only way to rebuild gums after tissue loss. At Tompkins Dental, we’re proud to offer a new treatment option that makes gum surgery simpler and more patient-friendly. The Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique allows our dentists to build out gums without incisions or stitches. Tissue doesn’t need to be taken from elsewhere in the mouth, as it does with a gum graft.

Here’s how this revolutionary procedure works. Your dentist makes a tiny hole in the gums with a needle. This hole is placed in the healthy area of gums below the gum line. Then, special instruments carefully loosen the gum tissue beneath the hole. This tissue is carefully pulled upwards to cover the exposed area of tooth. The pinhole point of entry heals within a day, and the gum line is on its way back to normal.

This procedure is so gentle that patients experience very little downtime. There’s minimal discomfort, swelling or bleeding. When compared to a traditional gum graft, the difference is staggering. The gum line also looks healthier quickly, with patients smiling comfortably right after the procedure.

What Patients Love about Pinhole Gum Surgery

• There’s no scalpel or sutures, so healing is rapid
• Treatment is significantly faster than standard gum grafting (for both the procedure and the downtime)
• Treatment is permanent and if the cause of recession is corrected, it will last for years

Have questions about your gums or your potential for gum surgery? Contact us today!